Clay Oven

We’ve visited Clay Oven at least three times over the past few months, and every visit has been great. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, the food is halal and truly delicious; very IMO authentic and high quality. Prices are reasonable too. The only challenge is reservations: their website doesn’t always allow bookings for groups larger than five, so we usually end up calling. Other than that, it has a nice local feel, and the food is consistently excellent. Highly recommended, if you’re foodie, in love with Asian cuisine

I love going to the lunch buffet and it's the best around. I love their Gobi 65 cauliflower (right picture), but I haven't seen them have it in a very long time. They seem to rotate some dishes so hopefully they will have it again soon. I also love their pani puri and chaat station (left picture).

Let me start by giving a shoutout to the beautiful town of Lexington. It's gorgeous. We went to celebrate my brother's birthday. Food was delicious, service was fast, staff there was polite and welcoming. To top it all they gave us complimentary welcome papad to start with which most restaurants don't serve and gave us a $10 gift card for next visit. Was planning to go back there anyway!!!!

We visited for the first time this evening. The dining room was beautiful, our server was friendly and helpful, and the food was very good. We loved that our orders came out family style so that we could dish out the amount that we wanted. We’re excited to come back! Not pictured was perfectly cooked basmati rice that came with our entrees.

Disappointing food. The worst Aloo Gobhi I ever had - no flavor at all and tasted just like boiled cauliflower. The Paneer Kulcha was horrible too - was not baked properly at all. The Dahi Papdi Chaat was the only edible thing. The Kadhai Chicken was average for a chicken dish but it was not a Kadhai Chicken recipe at all. The whole food was an insult to Indian food and they definitely need a better chef.

Food is always excellent. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. They will make substitutions for you to the dish whenever possible. Weekend buffet is excellent value for the quality of food.

Got charged $35 for a non veg grilled mixed platter that had 2 pieces of chicken and one burned piece of lamb, and 2 micro paneer pieces 😑. No wonder it was empty during peak dinner hours on a Tuesday. I'm all for supporting Indian restaurants, but man you really gotta work on your business model. The taste of your signature dishes was mediocre at best for you to charge these prices. And the chicken drumstick was dry, definitely not freshly made.

Very yummy food! 10/10 recommend! Staff is very nice! Mango Lassi and Virgin Mango Mojitos are a must! Entrees fed four people.

I wanted to try this buffet, because I was told it is even better than my favorite place which would be amazing. Anyway, I was prepared to be impressed beyond belief after such high praise. If I am being honest, the buffet at Clay Oven is quite impressive. Quality is at surprisingly high level, and the selection is more than adequate. I am plant-based, and had no problem finding enjoyable offerings. Naan bread is made to order, and quite fresh. Oddly they serve the rice fresh as opposed to having a large container from which to serve buffet-style. This is the first time I have seen this in any buffet, Indian included. The server said the reason for this relates to freshness. No particular downside to this unorthodox practice, and the server made it clear that more rice can always be ordered. As for the food items tasted, my favorite was probably the Lychee Paneer. Very creative combination of fruit, paneer, and savory sauce. So delicious. The Langar Daal was a tasty rendering. Meat choices looked quite good as well, though I stay away from meat in recent years. Lamb Curry was available today, which is worth mentioning because lamb is something of a rarity as an expensive item. The Chicken Chapli Rebab looked delightful indeed, and I would be willing to bet that the Chicken Tikka Masala is a winner too. I tried the Gulab jamun and it does not disappoint. Next time I will try the Kheer as well. Two complaints I must offer. First is the absence of marsala tea in the buffet. Yes, it can be ordered separately - but it is not special and even if it were there is no good excuse to withhold it from buffet offerings. Especially since dosas ARE included, and actually are quit respectable. They should honestly do it the other way around and include tea while offering dosas for an extra charge. The second complaint is that there is no fresh fruit included for a desert choice. Indian deserts tend to be delicious but very rich in sugar. Having a healthier choice would be smart and respectful, considering the obesity crisis that plagues the United States. Overall, I give Clay Oven the full 5-star rating. I will probably not eat there regularly unless they make those slight improvements. In which case they could be in contention as best Indian restaurant in the state.

Exceeded expectations. We had the three day marinated grilled lamb and the mixed grilled seafood plate. So good!

The "Eat the Distance!" tour's stop numero otto takes us to the center of Lexington MA, very exciting. This location is special to me, recalling as it does memories of chatting with head chef and owner Chris there at the bar of what was once Lexx, one of the town's historical jewels. Pleasantly seated al fresca in the shade of a warm early summer's day, refreshed by repeat salt lassis, surprised by perfected pampadams done in contours to excite the senses and stimulate the palate, the experience only further enriched by the lively pop of panipuri, spiced pineapple, and the brilliantly conceived rosemary paneer (New item!). Fun and fresh, would return to sample other items old and new. A 4.5/5 is closer to the truth, really well done. Recommend.

What I like to: - very generous portions of the main meal. I ordered the lamb and asked for medium spice. It was done to perfection. Not too spicy, not too dull. - The vegetarian Samosa (free for yelpers?), was filling and flavorful. If I could suggest one thing: the service could've been a little tighter. - I got my Samosa after the main course was served. - my wife had to wait to get a water refill. Small things, sometimes server centric, but worth noting for management. That said, I will definitely come back.

Indian Fusion along with traditional dishes are available. We held a private event there and everyone was pleased with the seating layout, service and food & drink options. We had amble opportunity to both catch up and enjoy our dinner. Their Avocado Chat, Beetroot Tiki and Lychee Paneer are unique and were a big hit.

The freshest ingredients. We ordered the mango avocado chaat to start. The goat biryani, the lemon rice, and chicken korma were fantastic. Served with hot naan and an extra order of raita because it's so good.

Good food. Good, polite service. Child friendly. Outdoor tables comfortable and spacious.

Nice service in a pretty outdoor patio setting tasty food although they couldn't make it mild for my wife.

This is our second visit to this lovely, friendly, quiet restaurant in Lexington. Courteous, professional and respectful, the staff just cannot do enough for you - from the minute you are greeted, throughout the duration of the meal, and to the time you leave. The food is absolutely excellent and you can really discern the many textures and flavors that are beautifully interwoven within each dish. Clay Oven has a modern vibe with unique dishes. The restaurant is also absolutely spotless, including the bathroom and let's face it, that's always a good sign. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this wonderful restaurant to anyone craving Indian cuisine in a peaceful, warm and relaxing setting.

Amazing food, excellent service, and a great atmosphere! Every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. Will definitely be coming back!

This was the best Indian food I've ever had. The naan was soft and perfect! I had Hyderabadi Dum Biryani chicken. It was warm and savory and flavorful. Huge portion at a reasonable price.

We love to eat at a great bar and we love great Indian food. Tonight Clay Oven delivered both! Lots of Indian restaurants are not keen on "eating at the bar" and I respect the cultural value and significance of sitting around a table. Sometimes though, when it is just the two of us, a bar will be our first choice. Jen our wonderful bartender/ wait person was fun, interesting, genuine and knowledgeable. The food was spectacular! It was a leisurely, enjoyable experience all around, including the friendly interactions with other staff.

Great service and food. Good Whiskey choice also. Portions are priced right and generous.

one of the best restaurants in Lexington. food is mouthwatering. service is excellent. atmosphere is very inviting. the owner Anu & Sorab are always available, ready to cater to all your needs with a smile. staff is very pleasant & eager to serve you. 16 of us went there last week & they gave us a separate area to ourselves. we had a very good time. I would recommend this restaurant for a gathering & also for family dinners or romantic evening.

Amazing food and excellent service. I had the lamb biryanis and . Highly recommend!

Stopped in for the buffet today, my first time there. The food was excellent and there were so many dishes that were new to me. A very varied and delicious buffet.

Brilliant! Creative and delish Indian fusion. The menu is definitely worth an applause. My kids wanted me to rate this place a 10/5 stars All our dishes were true to their origin but still had that creative spin and pairing of local American ingredients. This is one Indian place where everyone in my family got a satisfied mean ...a little too satisfied. Kudos to the owners for creating this eclectic menu and our compliments to the chef for bringing it to life.

Tried for the first time. Won't order again Food was so so. Chicken Vindaloo rated different than it. Should Hydrabad dum biryani - no safran Nan chewy

We were very disappointed with the food quality and quantity. The price was super high compared to the portion they served. Service was poor, our server was in a rush and had no time for us. We ordered virgin mango mojito and were given mango lassi. The mixed grill platter portion was too small, the chicken had a fishy smell and lamb was over tenderized artificially. Chicken Hyderabadi was full of garam masala , not appealing at all. Rice quality was low using cheap basmati. Pav bhaji brushetta was not what we imagined to be. It was just normal pav bhaji. Ambience was bad because there was some arguments in the kitchen which we could hear and was pretty disturbing. I would not recommend this place.

Possibly a bit more expensive but DEFINITELY worth it. Delicious food, lots of interesting choices and each one was made with care, had great taste and made me glad I ordered it.

After trying another Indian place locally we decided to give Clay Oven a try. They did a great job making my order super duper spicy! Chicken vindaloo (crazy spicy) - One of the hottest Indian meals I've had in the USA. I loved it and luckily no one else wanted to take a bite! Lamb vindaloo - The lamb was cooked well but the family said this was their least favorite dish. It was on the bland side and perfectly spicy for old white people. Shrimp masala - The family really loved this, by far their favorite meal. Chicken Tikka masala - They liked it but not nearly as much as the shrimp. The papri chaat was fantastic and a must have! The naan was not very fluffy or flavorful. We had the garlic and a special order of onion naan. I had hoped it would be better. The veg samosas were also quite good.

Had a few good experiences here despite it being obviously overpriced. The last two times it's been incredibly low effort stale and way too spicy as to be inedible. The lamb was tough and dry and the daal was killer spicy. Most places eventually lose steam and let up their guard, seems like that's happening here and yet you'll still pay $55 for 2 items maybe more. Absolutely ridiculous and not worth it

Clay Oven has started lunch buffet. Went there for the first time today and it was excellent. More expensive than similar buffets elsewhere, but think it was quite worth it as the food was much better and the variety was also better. For example, in many places they serve paneer tikka where the paneer is a hard. The paneer tikka in the buffet was soft and prepared very nicely. Also, loved the mango-avocado chaat, chole with bhature, etc. They also had a nice assortment of deserts with several different flavors of mousse (mango, strawberry, chocolate) as well as other Indian sweets and fresh fruit. As I stated in my earlier review, Clay Over was a work in progress and they have continued to improve with every visit.

I was kind of disappointed with this place... The paneer tikka were nothing like a tandoori tikka should be - i mean the name of the restaurant is clay oven and it seemed like they dont have a clay oven to make tikkas. Didnt like their curries either... we tried paneer tikka masala and it felt like there was no gravy but just red xhilli powder mixed with oil. The same applies to malai kofta.

My wife and I travel to Lexington often and we usually & Clay Oven has become one of our go-to spots. Last time we started with the Spinach & Cheese Rolls which were excellent. We also had the Grilled Seafood Platter which was amazing. The Naan and rice were top notch. We also recommend the Mediterranean Hummus Plate! Thank you Clay Oven - See you again soon!

I recently visited Clay Oven in Lexington Ma. I was happy with the service and Ambience. However the food I was served was not he worst I have eaten from the Kapoor family of restaurants. I ordered Hyderabadi chicken and paratha and paratha was too crisp ( overdone ) and the chicken I could have definitely made better at home. Not too happy with the food. The plain rice served free was also not to the standard of rice to be served at a restaurant - not long grain Basmati rice. Definitely it would be difficult to visit this location again.

We did takeaway at Clay Oven. The Butter chicken and garlic naan were very good. The chicken curry was so oily and greasy we could not eat it so it ended up in the garbage. At $22 for a little bowl, it was a waste and soooo overpriced. Tandoori chicken was not tender and barely on the right side of being undercooked. Definitely going back to better food and pricing of Royal India Bistro!

Really delicious food and great service! Highly recommend butter chicken, kathi roll and the Malai chicken quesadilla. The garlic naan is also really good. Also tried the Mango Avocado Chaat and Scallops. They can benefit from some modifications. Definitely a place I would visit regularly.

We were struggling to find the right place to eat in Lexington this evening, and we stumbled upon Clay Oven. Everything is delicious! The clay oven dishes are especially good, no surprise. Best of all, they have Chimay Blue on tap.

I was visiting a friend and we decided to order take-out from Clay Oven. It was absolutely delicious! And the generous portions allowed for leftovers the next day. Flavorful food with enticing aromas... I've never eaten in here, but I'm sure if the take away is this good, The seated dining is probably phenomenal. It's on my list the next time I'm visiting Lexington.

Had a delicious dinner at Clay Oven! The Mango Avocado Chaat was super fresh & delicious. Don't miss out on the shrimp cocktail, it's a great spin on a classic dish. We also had the tender & flavorful rosemary lamb, the saag, naan and roti. We finished off with yummy dessert! Everything was authentic, flavorful, and fresh and the service was great too. I highly recommend trying this place.

As far as Greater Boston Indian Restaurants go, Clay Oven is a great option. I went here with some work friends on a whim a month or two ago, when none of us had heard anything good or bad - total crapshoot. To say we were pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Most people got the biriyani or thalis (Veg and Non Veg), maybe one or two got the mixed grill. Everyone really enjoyed their dishes - the veg thali was tasty,with each curry prepared well. I could have used a bit more naan or other bread (roti or paratha) instead of all the rice, but v minor thing. The chaat appetizer was absolutely amazing, sweet (tamarindy) and delicious. Paneer Tikka appetizer was excellent, normally I get a Paneer Tikka Masala main but since they didn't have one on the menu this more than tided me over. After a successful first trip, we all went back today with a larger group and everyone still really enjoyed it it. The biriyani dishes were HUGE! And I assume as delicious as the first time. The service was excellent. Maybe it helped that it wasn't super busy during lunch today, but the owner/manager and his wife really went above and beyond - incredibly attentive, quick and professional with our large party, moving plates in and out quickly in preparation for mains, refilling water etc. Great food, great service, will be back for another lunch soon enough.

We just had an excellent Saturday brunch at Clay Oven- the restaurant that replaced Lexx in downtown Lexington. This is from the same owner of Masala Arts in Needham. The food was not overly spicy, and very child friendly- but also had a lot of flavor at the same time. Great service and very friendly. The bunch buffet service is new (today!) and we were impressed by the spread. Pricing was slightly higher than typical area restaurants, but very happy to support if the quality is there like it was today. Standouts include the methi poori and the Indo-Chinese fare.

Delicious food and great service Will definitely go back again soon I had the lunch vegetarian sampler and everything was super

This was a wonderful experience all around!! Our food was delicious and the service was outstanding! The restaurant has a lovely, warm interior with beautiful decor. We went for lunch and will definitely be returning!!

Great food and attentive service. We had a good tsble for a group of 5. One of the best in the Boston area.

One of the best Indian restaurants I've tried in the Boston area and I'm really picky and discerning about my food. I had the Tandoori Shrimp cocktail appetizer and the the yellow lentil dal. The spices were complex and everything was very fresh. My friend loved his meal too. They also had unique things on the menu that you don't see on every Indian restaurant out there. I look forward to going back and trying more items.

I am a local who eats out more often than he should. Clay oven has steep competition in Lexington! The chicken tikka masala here has a depth of flavor I have not had elsewhere, and the basic naan is superb (though a tad small portion-wise). The location is spacious and may accommodate seasonal patio dining.

Had lunch on my first visit to Clay Oven. Loved it. Great location and ambiance. The lunch menu was innovative and catering to diverse tastes. Pakoras were crisp but not oily, Malai chicken sizzler was tender and succulent, and the tikka masala sauce was simply the best I've ever had. Vegetable combo platter was delicious and being served on an elegant silver plate with silver bowls made it special. The Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani was very flavorful and well presented. Overall, a memorable experience. We left with the hope that it stays consistently this good.

This is my new favorite Indian in the Boston area, and even though I live downtown I will gladly drive to Lexington for this food in the future! Went to Clay Oven last night with a group of 6. Our server (Jen) was so attentive, the atmosphere of the restaurant was great, and the food was amazing. The Malai shrimp cocktail was incredible (the sauce was a standout!), and so were the rosemary lamb tips. My favorite was the mango avocado chaat though, it was fresh and vibrant. We also had naan, roti, saag, and curry. I didn't get any pictures of our food because I was too busy eating as soon as it got to the table. Everything was very clean and the restaurant wasn't loud or too dark. We will certainly back to dine in and take out soon!

Went here with my girl for a special occasion and overall enjoyed my experience. The service was solid. Our server was very attentive and helpful, however, he kept asking us if we wanted to order more items than what we needed. For example, asking us if we wanted an extra naan or extra dessert. Kind of felt like he was trying to squeeze as much money from us as possible. We ordered some Garlic Naan, Butter Chicken, Chicken Saag, Mango Mojito drinks, and Mango Cheesecake. Butter Chicken was a 2/5. It lacked the buttery savory flavor that is typically in the dish. It was not bad, just pretty bland. The chicken was very low quality. Overly chewy and fatty with majority of it being dark meat. Mostly avoided eating the chicken pieces. Chicken Saag: 3/5. Solid flavors, better quality Garlic Naan: 5/5 Super good. Great flavor. Mango Mojito: 5.5 Fantastic drink. Highly recommend. Perfect for the summer weather. Mango Cheesecake 5/5 Really nice dessert. I feel like it may have been homemade. The consistency of the mango part was similar to ice cream and was very enjoyable. Overall, great experience. I would try something different next time since the curry was a bit lacking, but still was worth the visit.

Had a scrumptious lunch at the Weekend Clay Oven Brunch. Highly recommend. The hosts are very gracious and the service is phenomenal! The dishes served reach beyond the Indian cuisine. The weekend buffet is highly recommended! The variety to choose from is delicious and unique.

Excellent authentic food. Flavorful, not greasy, homemade. Attentive and kind staff. Will definitely be back!

Huge menu of Indian specialties, nice beer list, good and friendly service, and inexpensive. Warm and welcoming. You can't go wrong here.

Enjoyed a delicious dinner the other night The mango avocado starter was super!! The best tandoori chops !! Clay oven is just as good as masala art but has a variety of fusion dishes as well.

Went in to get carry out. I was really looking forward to something I had not cooked myself (in months now). I waited a reasonable amount of time. The hostess was delightful with a very courteous way about her. When I got home found the speciality dish to be totally dried out, dried out hard chicken pieces - it was frankly inedible. I tossed it in the garbage - never again. No STARS would be appropriate. The hostess I repeat was very kind. Rubbish restaurant.

We went here for the first time to have a family dinner celebrating my sister's 40th birthday. The food and service was amazing. We had plenty of room seated in the back. We got an array of appetizers and dishes. They were all delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Yum! Good food and friendly staff. Chicken Saag, Chicken Bryani and Tadoori chicken were all tasty.

We came here for a small birthday celebration for my father. We were so pleased with the food and the amazing service! Although we had originally thought we would eat outside on the patio(and our table was reserved and ready) we decided to move inside at the last minute. The staff was unbelievably accommodating, setting a new table for us in the back room of the restaurant ( there are two dining areas) where we would have more space and privacy. Highly recommend!! They went out of there way to make this a special evening for our family! Along with the great service was delicious food!!